Folding portable rack



Aug. 25, 1959 c. E.'GIN,GHER ETAL FOLDING PORTABLE RACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 20, 1956 INVENTOR 04m. E. Gl/VGHER ATTORNEYS Aug. 25, 1959 Filed Jan. 20, 1956 c. E. GINGHER ETAL 2,901,124

FOLDING PORTABLE RACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS CARL E. Gl/VGHER CARL E G/NGHER, Jr.

BY M M ATTORNEYS C. E. GINGHER ETAL I Aug. 25, 1959 FOLDING PORTABLE BACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 20, 1956 I III H Pal/ 6 INVENTORS' ATTORNEYS CARL E, GINGHER CARL E. GINGHER, Jr.

United States Patent FOLDING PORTABLE RACK Carl E. Gingher and Carl E. Gingher, Jr., Scranton, Pa,

assignors, by mesne assignments, to Gingher Manufacturing Company, Scranton, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 20, 1956, Serial No. 560,410

6 Claims. (Cl. 211-149) thereby eliminating the possibility of the track being inoperative because of lost parts.

It is another object of this invention to provide a foldable clothes rack which is both portable and steerable when in either the assembled or folded states.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a foldable clothes rack which may be readily assembled or disassembled by relatively unskilled personnel without the use of any tools in a very short period of time.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a foldable clothes rack which when collapsed into a compact unit permits a plurality of said units to be stacked and the stacked units are so interfitted with each other that they are prevented from sliding off each other in both the transverse and longitudinal directions.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a foldable clothes rack embodying improvements in pivotally connecting end up-rights to a base, and shelves to respective up-rights which enable the shelves to be folded within the end up-rights and the up-rights to be folded flat against each other and against the base, where they are locked into a compact unit having a carrying handle.

It is still an additional object of this invention to provide a portable clothes rack, foldable into a compact, readily stored unit which may be easily assembled into a clothes and hat rack to enable a plurality of such racks to quickly provide temporary coat storage facilities for hotels, sports arenas, halls and the like.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a portable and foldable clothes rack which is readily adapted to provide either permanent or temporary coat storage facilities.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reference to the accompanying description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an over-all perspective view of the portable clothes rack of this invention in the assembled position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the base of the portable rack;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional View taken along the lines 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the slide which reciprocably cooperates with the base illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the end Lip-right which is pivotally connected to the base;

Patented Aug. 25, 1959 Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the end up right which is piovtally connected to the slide;

Fig. 8 is a perspective View in enlarged scale showing the base attached end up right connected to the base and pivoted to an inclined position;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view in enlarged detail showing the slide attached end up-rightpivotally connected to the slide and illustrating the cooperating action between the slide and the base as the end up-right is pivoted to the folded position;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view looking at the bottom of the upper shelf; I

Fig. 11 is a perspective View looking at the bottom of the lower shelf;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along the lines 12-12 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken along the lines 13-'13 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 14 is a partial sectional view taken along the lines 1414 of Fig. 'l;

Figs. 15 through 20 illustrate various stages in the folding of the portable rack of this invention into a compact unit; and

Fig. 21 is a side elevational view showing a plurality of the folded racks of this invention assembled into a stack.

The portable rack of this invention essentially comprises a wheeled base which has a slide reciprocably cooperating therewith, and an end up-right which is pivotally connected to one end of the base and a second end upright which is pivotally connected to the end of the slide. Clothes supporting means are connected between the upper ends of the up-rights. Said means comprise shelves, each of which is pivotally connected to one of the up-rights. The shelves are adapted to be pivoted into the planes of the respective up-rights in such a manner that when the up-rights are folded upon the base by virtue of their pivoted connections, the clothes rack is folded into a compact unit.

Returning now to the drawings, more particularly to Fig. 1, wherein like reference symbols indicate the same parts throughout the various views, 1 indicates the rack of this invention which comprises base supporting means 2, a base connected and up-right 3, a slide connected end up -right 4, an upper shelf 5, and a'lower shelf 6. Each of the above mentioned elements will be subsequently described in detail, and the relationship between the elements which enables the rack to be folded into a compact unit will be fully set forth.

The base supporting means 2 comprises a base 7 which is illustrated in perspective in Fig. 3 and comprises longitudinally extending base rails 8 and 9 which are of steel and are square in cross-section. The rails 8 and 9 are open at one end and are welded at their other end to a base cross rail 10. The cross-section of the cross rail 10 is similar to that of the base rails 8 and 9. The ends of the cross rail, as indicated at 11 and 12, project beyond the base rails 8 and 9. A swivel caster 13 is mounted on the lower face of each of the projecting ends 11 and 12 as shown in Fig. 3. A portion of the caster base projects inwardly of the base beyond the outer faces of each of the longitudinally extending rails 8 and 9. This relationship is for the purpose of eliminating longitudinal sliding of folded racks when they are in stacked position. This relationship will be later fully described.

A catch 14 and a pivot pin 15 are attached to each of the outer faces of the base rails 8 and 9.

Proceeding next to Fig. 5 there is illustrated in perspective a slide 16 which reciprocably co-acts with th base 2. The slide 16 comprises a pair of longitudinal rails 17 and 18 of equal length and a slide cross rail 19 square in cross-section, is welded to secure the corresponding 3 ends of the rails. A pair of U-shaped brackets 20 and 21 are attached to the upper face of the slide cross rail 19 and rubber tired wheels 22 and mounted on the ends of the cross rail. The relationship of the slide 16 with the base 2 is illustrated in "Fig. 2.

In Fig. 6 there is illustratedthe base attached end upright 3which comprises a pair of longitudinally extending rails 23 and 24. .A top cross rail 25 is welded between the upper ends of the longitudinally extending rails 23 and 24. A face of the cross rail 25 forms a cover plate 26 which is welded across the lateral faces of each of the longitudinally extending rails 23 and 24 in a manner as shown in Fig. 6 to conceal the top cross rail when the base attached up-right is viewed from a positionlaterally of the rack. Projecting downwardly from the lower face of the cross rail 25 is a pair of spaced studs27.

Acam surface28 is securedatits loweredge 29 to the lower edge of the cover plate 26. Extending upwardly from the cam surface 28 is :a 'flat;surface.30 having an opening 31 therein for receiving the end of a: latch attached to the top shelfS.

Proximate the lower end of the base end upright and between the rails 23 and 24 is.an intermediate cross rail 32 having a latch opening 33 in the upper surfacethereof.

The cross rail 32 has a square cross-section and is formed from relatively light gauge sheet metal. The ends of the cross rail are cut away to enable opposedfaces thereof to straddle the rails 23 and 24 to'which they are appropriately attached as by spot welding. The cross rail 32 is spaced from the upper end of the end up-right a distance to accommodate the bottom shelf-6 when it is pivoted between the rails into the plane of the up-right.

A bottom cross rail 34 is similarly .attached between the rails23 and 24 spaced from the bottom ends thereof. One face of the bottom cross rail 34 is extended to form a cover plate 35 which is suitably attached to the lateral faces of the rails 23 and 24.

The base end up-right 3 is pivotally attached to the base by off-set hinges 36. The hinges are spot welded to the outer faces of each of the rails 23 and 24, .as shown in Fig. 7, and are pivotally connected by pins 37 to the base rails 8 and 9 of the base 2.

The off-set hinge arrangement prevents accidental pivoting of the base end up-right when the :braces are not attached thereto. When the upright is in the vertical position, the center of gravity of the weight thereof will pass outwardly of the offset pivot pins 37. Thus the weight of the up-right itself will assist in maintaining the up-right in the vertical position.

In addition, the offset hinge attachment enables the base end up-right 3 to be spaced above the base supporting means 2 when it is folded to a horizontal position. This permits th slide attached end up-right 4 to .be accommodated between the base up-right and the base. The manner in which the base attached up-right pivots above the slide attached up -right is illustrated in Fig. 7.

The base up-right 3 is maintained at its vertical position by a pair of braces 38, each of whichis pivotally connected at one end thereof by 'a pivot :pin 39 .to the base. rails of the base. The other ends of the'braces 38 are flattened as may be seen at 40 in 'Figs. 1 and 2, and there is a notch 41 in each flattened end to receive round headed'studs 42 which project outwardly from the outer faces of the rails 23 and .24 of the base end'up-right 3.

When the braces 38 are disconnected. from the base end up-right 3, they are pivoted to enable the flattened ends 40 to be received within the catches 14 on'the base rails 8 and -9 of the base.

Latches 43 are pivotally mounted on the oliter faces of the rails 23 and 24 .as shown :in Fig. '6, and each latch has a notch 44 to engage studs mounted on the slide upright-4 as will be :presentlydescribed.

The slide attached end up-right 4'is.illustrated in Fig. 7 and compr'iseslongitudinally extending rails 45 and 46 which are substantially square in cross-section.

A top cross rail 47 is attached between the rails 45 and 46 at the upper ends thereof. Integrally attached to the cross rail 47 is a back cover plate 48 which is fastened across the lateral faces of the rails 45 and 46 as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Spaced downwardly from the cross rail 47 is an intermediate cross rail 49., th61136fl1 surface of which is indicated at .50 and is attached to the lateral faces of the rails 45 and 46, as may be seen in Fig. 1. There is a cam-surfaceEl-on the inner face of the cross rail 47 and a latch opening 52 in a flat surface which extends above the team surface. The latch opening 52 receives the latch which is on the end of the lower shelf 6 in a manner to be later described.

Spaced downwardly from the upper intermediate cross rail 49 is a lower intermediate cross rail 53. The cross rail 53 is spaced from the cross rail 49 the length of the lower shelf 6. There is a latch opening 54 in the upper surface of the cross rail 53.

Attached between the lower ends of the rails 45 and 46 is a bottom cross rail 55 having one side 56 which is attached to the outer faces of the rails '45 and 46 to form a cover plate as may be seen in Fig. 1.

The ends of the rails 45 and 46 of the slide attached Lip-right 4 are attached by pins 57 within the brackets 20 and 21 which are on the slide 16.

There isa round headed stud v52 on the outer face of each of the rails 45 and 46 of the slide attached up-right for receiving the notches 44 of the latches 43 on the base end up-right 3.

The slide attached end up-right 4 is maintained in a vertical position by braces 59, each of which has one end 60 pivotally connected to the base and the other end 61 pivotally connected to the rails of the up-right.

In Fig. 10 there is shown a bottom perspective view of the upper shelf 5. The upper shelf 5' comprises a supporting surface 62 which is substantially flat and has a plurality of openings or perforations 63 therein. The perforations 63 are formed by punching and the edges of the perforations are bent into substantially a Z shape, as may be seen in Fig. 14, to give added strength to the shelf. In addition, the presence of the openings eliminates the optical illusion of a depressed look which occurs when looking along a flat surface.

The longitudinal edges of the supporting surface 62 are rolled downwardly and inwardly as indicated at 64 and 65 and end cross rails 66 and 67 are attached between the ends of the rolled edges. In addition, a plurality of intermediate cross rails 68, 69 and 70 are attached between the edges 64 and 65 at spaced intervals beneath the supporting surface 62. There is a spring latch 71 in the cross rail=66. The latch 71 cooperates with the latch opening 54 in the intermediate cross rail 53 in the slide attached end up-right 4 when the rack is being collapsed and with the latch opening 31 when the rack is assembled.

The top shelf 5 is pivoted at 72 to the upper end of the slide up-right 4.

In Fig. 11 there is shown a bottom perspective view of the lower shelf 6 which is pivoted at 72A to the base up-right 3.

The lower shelf 6 similarly comprises a supporting surface 73 which has a plurality of openings 74 therein which are formed in a manner similar to that employed in forming the openings 63 in the top shelf, as previously described.

The longitudinal edges of the supporting surface 73 are similarly rolled to form rolled edges 75 and 76.

End cross rails 77 and 78 are fastened between the extreme ends of the edges 75 and 76. The end cross rails 77 and 78 have depending portions 79 and 80 on the end faces thereof. There is a spring latch 81 in the end cross rail 78 for engaging the latch opening 52 when the clothes rack is assembled and the latch opening 33 when the rack is collapsed.

A center hanger bar support 82 is attached to the bottom face of the supporting surface 73 intermediate the ends thereof. A hanger bar 83 having a rounded upper surface 84 is attached between the depending portions 79 and 80 and through the hanger bar support 82.. Additional cross braces 86 are between the hanger: bar support and the end cross rails. This structure is best shown in Fig. 11.

With the structure of the clothes rack in mind, a description will next be given of the disassembly thereof into a compact unit. This procedure is illustrated in Figs. 15 through 20. Proceeding next to Fig. 15 which is similar to Fig. 1, except in smaller scale, the portable rack may be folded into a compact unit in several easy I stages which consume less than 30 seconds.

To commence the disassembly of the portable rack, the lower shelf 6 is pivoted as shown in Fig. 16 to the position as shown in Fig. 17 between the rails of the base and upright. The lower shelf is then latched into its position. Next, the upper shelf is pivoted, as shown in Fig. 17, to the position illustrated in Fig. 18 between the longitudinally extending rails of the slide attached upright 4.

The slide up-right 4 is then pivoted downwardly as indicated in Fig. 18. The pivotal connection of the brace 59 with both the base 2 and the slide upright 4 will result in the slide 16 telescoping outwardly from the base 2 as shown in Fig. 18. When the slide attached end upright 4 is in its ultimate position fiat against the base, as shown in Fig. 19, the slide 16 is in its fully extended poition, as also-illustrated in Fig. 19.

The braces 38 which support the base end up-right 3 in its vertical position are then disconnected and each of the braces pivoted so that the fiat ends 40 are received in the catches 14 on the base. The base attached end up- .right 3 is then pivoted, as shown in Fig. 19, to the position shown in Fig. 20. As described previously, the offset hinges permit the base up-right 3 to lie flat against the slide up-right 4 when the rack is in a folded position. The latches 43 on the base end up-right 3 are then con nected to the studs 58 on the slide up-right 4 to lock the folded rack in a compact unit.

It may be seen in Fig. 20 that the hanger bar 83 is on the upper surface of the folded rack unit 85 and in this position functions as a carrying handle.

To facilitate storage of the folded racks, a quantity of folded racks may be stacked upon each other as illustrated in Fig. 21. The resultant stack of racks occupies a minimum of space and results in a stack of folded units which will not slide from each other either in a longitudinal or transverse direction.

Sliding of the folded racks in a longitudinal direction is limited by the depending portions 79 and 80 of the lower shelf protruding into the base between the base cross rail and the slide cross rail 19.

In addition, the edges of the depending portions 79 and 80 fit closely within the base rails 8 and 9 of the base 2. This eliminates sliding of the folded racks in a transverse direction.

Sliding of the folded racks in a longitudinal direction is also prevented by the projection of a portion of the caster beyond the respective outer face of the rail of the base. This will prevent the upper end of the base upright 4 from sliding past the casters. The stacking of the folded units is facilitated if the units are stacked in reverse position, as illustrated in Fig. 21.

Thus it can be seen that the present invention provides a portable and foldable clothing rack which may be readily disassembled into a compact unit without the use of tools and in a short period of time. In addition, each of the components of the rack is pivotally connected to at least one other component with the result that there are no detachable parts of the rack. This is an extremely desirable feature since it prevents losing of the parts and 6 resulting inoperativeness in the assembling and disasserri bling of the rack.

Further, each of the components of the foldable rack is extremely simple in construction and may be readily fabricated.

It 'will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions, and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a portable rack, a base, a slide telescopingly mounted into one end of said base, a first end up-right pivotally mounted on said slide and pivotable into a flat position on said base, a second end tip-right, means pivotally mounting said second upright on said base and permitting said second upright to be pivoted into a position upon said first end up-right, means bracing said end uprights in their upright positions and shelf means mounted between said up-rights and pivotally connected to one of said up-rights.

2. In a portable rack, a base, a slide telescopingly mounted into one end of said base, a first end up-right pivotally mounted on said slide and adapted to be pivoted into a ilat position on said base, a brace having one end pivotally connected to said base and the other end pivotally connected to said first up-right whereby said slide will telescope outwardly of said base when said first up right is pivoted into flat position upon said base, a second end up-right pivotally mounted on the opposite end of said base by hinges offset from the base and adapted to be pivoted into a position upon said first end up-right, and shelf means mounted between said end up-rights and pivotally connected to one of said up-rights.

3. In a portable clothes rack, a base comprising a pair of connected parallel rails, a slide comprising a second pair of connected parallel rails in telescoping relation with said base rails, a first end up-right pivotally mounted on the extreme end of said slide and adapted'to be pivoted to a flat position upon said base and extended slide, brace means pivotally connected at one end to said first upright and at the other end to said base whereby said slide will telescope outwardly of said base when said first up-right ispivoted onto said base, a second up-right, means pivotally connecting said second upright to the extreme end of which said base whereby said second upright is adapted to be pivoted into a fiat position upon said first up-right, means bracing said second upright in its upright position, and clothes supporting means between said up-rights and pivotally connected to one of said up-rights.

4. In a portable clothes rack adapted for folding into I a unit, base supporting means, a first up-right pivotally connected at one end to said base means and adapted to be pivoted into a flat position upon said base means, an upper shelf pivotally connected to the other end of said up-right and positionable in the plane thereof, a second up-right pivotally connected to the other end of said base means and adapted to be pivoted into a flat position upon said first up-right, means holding said upright in the upright position, a lower shelf pivotally connected to the upper end of said second up-right and adapted to be positioned in the plane thereof, the free end of each of said shelves being connectible to the opposite upright, and a hanger bar spaced from the bottom of said lower shelf and adapted as a carrying handle when said up-rights are folded upon said base means.

5. In a portable clothes rack, base supporting means, a first up-right pivotally connected to one end of said base means and adapted to be pivoted into a flat position upon said base, means bracing said first upright in the upright position, latch means on the outer faces of said first up-right, a second up-right pivotally connected to the other end of said base means and adapted to be pivoted into a fiat position upon said first up-right, means on the outer faces of said second up-right to be lockingly engaged by said latch means when said up-rights are folded 'upon each other to-retain said uprights against said base means, and clothes supporting means between said up-rights and pivotallyeonnected to one of said uprights.

6. A portable clothes rack comprising a base, a slide telescopingly mounted into one end of said base, a first end up-right pivotally connected-on said slide and adapted to be pivoted into a flat position uponsaid base, a brace having one end pivotally connected to said base and the other end pivotally connected to said first -up-right whereby said slide Will telescope outwardly of said base when said first up-right is pivoted onto said base, an upper shelf pivotally connected to the upper end of said first upright and adapted to be positioned in the plane thereof, means on the outer faces of said first end up-right adapted for being lockingly engaged by a latch, a second end upright, hinges pivotally connecting said second up-right to said base and offset downwardlyand inwardly therefrom so as to be adapted to pivot said second up-right into a fiat position upon said first up-right, a lower shelf pivotally connected to said second tip-right and adapted to be positioned in the plane thereof, the ends 'of each shelf opposite the pivoted ends being connectible to the oppo' site upright, a hanger bar depending from the bottom 25 face of said lower shelf and adapted as a carrying handle when said up-rights are folded upon said base, brace means pivotally connected to said base and detachably connecting said second [up-right to maintain the same in a verticalposition, means on,said base for receiving the up-right engaging ends :of. saidsbracemeans when said second ,up-right is folded against said first up-right, and latch meanson the-outer faces of said second up-right for lockingly engaging said latch engaging means for locking said up-rights together when folded upon each other upon said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,099,849 Hammond June 9, 1914 1,407,607 Wakeham Feb. 21, 1922 1,525,044 Primrose Feb. 3, 1925 2,011,357 Ford Aug. 13, 1935 2,177,169 Brown Oct. 24, 1939 2,338,092 Brown Jan. 4, 1944 2,340,540 Lange Feb. 1, 1944 2,381,608 Leyerle Aug. 7, 1945 2,469,911 Applegate et al. May 10, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,091 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1908 

